


Serafina's Story

by hearth_goddess



Series: we're a family. we stick together [1]
Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Death in Childbirth, F/M, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Character Death, Tugger and Misto adopt five kids, mentions of previous Demeter/Macavity, they also adopt four more but that's not for a while
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:21:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24448768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearth_goddess/pseuds/hearth_goddess
Summary: How Serafina and her children came to meet the Deuteronomy-Jones husbands.
Relationships: Demeter/Munkustrap (Cats), Macavity (Cats)/Original Female Character(s), Mr. Mistoffelees/Rum Tum Tugger (Cats), previous Demeter/Macavity (Cats)
Series: we're a family. we stick together [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765810
Comments: 7
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> IT'S HAPPENING!!!!
> 
> I'm so excited that I'm finally posting this, and there will be much more Tuggoffelees Family Human AU coming!!

Serafina liked to think of herself as a smart woman.

She liked to think that her choices in men reflected that intelligence. 

However, looking back, it was quite easy to realize that, while the man she had chosen was intelligent, her choosing to stay with him was not a very smart choice. 

She was a dance instructor, and he was an artist. It was pure coincidence that the dance studio Serafina worked at had been in need of an artist to help with their publicity. 

They had met one afternoon about a year after Serafina had graduated from college. 

Macavity, having gone off on his own years before, had been walking down the street, headed for one of his favorite secret places to sit and people watch, a small bench that was always shaded under a large tree. 

He had hoped to maybe draw a quick sketch or two of the unique and different people he had seen in the quiet corner of the park, but his thoughts were quickly changed as he walked down the sidewalk. As he walked, Macavity noticed one of the old and empty storefronts that had been abandoned for so long had finally been cleaned up, and a new business filling the vacancy in the couple months since he’d last taken this way. As Macavity passed the large glass windows, something made him stop. 

No, not something. 

Someone. 

Serafina had been teaching one of the beginners’ glasses of the dance studio when he had caught her eye. 

A ginger-haired man with amber eyes, and a surprised look in his eyes as he saw the kids dancing within. 

He seemed to be searching for something. 

Serafina looked at her partner. “I’ll be right back.” 

She darted out of the room to the sidewalk, giving the man a friendly smile. 

“May I help you?” she asked. “Are you looking to sign your child up? 

The man started, but shook his head. “No… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to seem strange.” A sheepish smile spread across his face. “Dance kind of runs in my family. I haven’t really seen any new studios planning on opening up around here.” 

Serafina laughed slightly, holding out her hand. “Serafina O’Reilly.” 

“Macavity Deuteronomy.” He said, shaking her hand a small smile. 

“So… you’re a dancer?” Serafina asked, cocking her head curiously. 

Macavity chuckled. “Artist, actually. Unfortunately, I wasn’t blessed with the dancing gene like the rest of my family.” 

Serafina’s smile grew, and she glanced towards the studio. “You know… we’re still trying to get publicity out about the studio. Would it be possible to hire you to design some ads for us?” 

“Really?” Macavity asked, surprise in his voice. “I’d be happy to.” 

And so their relationship had started. 

Serafina would be setting up for a class in the morning, and Macavity would be seated in the corner, sketching out the image of an empty studio, occasionally including pointe shoes and tap shoes in his picture. 

Once the students began to show up, Macavity would pack his things and leave with a smile and a wave towards Serafina, who would smile brightly back at him. 

After a while, the two began to meet for coffee once Serafina was finished, and they began to get to know one another. 

“So, where are you from?” Macavity asked one afternoon over lunch. “I can tell by the accent that you’re not from around here.” 

“You’re right.” Serafina laughed. “I’m from Galway, Ireland.” 

Macavity hummed slightly. “May I ask why you moved here?” 

Serafina sighed, cupping her coffee mug between her hands. “My father died when I was a child. He had cancer when I was a child, and my mother never really recovered from his death.” Macavity slowly reached out, touching Serafina’s hand, and she smiled sadly. “Mam died when I was in school. Everyone says it’s because her heart gave out, and I agree. She died from a broken heart. She and Dad were soulmates. I’d never seen anyone as in love with each other.” 

“I’m so sorry.” Macavity said softly, and Serafina took a breath, wiping at her now-teary eyes. 

“It’s alright. I moved here, and dance became my escape.” She said. “Now, what about you?” 

Macavity sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve got two brothers, but I haven’t talked to them in years. My mom wanted to go off and be some big performer, so she asked if I wanted to leave with her when I was fifteen. Being the rebellious kid I was, I agreed, and we left. I haven’t seen my brothers or my dad in years, and I haven’t seen my mom since I was eighteen.” 

Serafina’s eyes widened in shock. “She left you?” 

“Yup.” Macavity said with a self-deprecating laugh. “So, art helps me to relax and forget that… you know, my mother abandoned me and my brothers and father never want to see me again.” 

“I can’t imagine what that’s like, Macavity.” Serafina said softly. “I’m sure your family would welcome you back if you just went to them.” 

Macavity shook his head. “Not after the things I told them. I put too much faith in my mother, Sera.” His voice shook slightly, but Macavity was determined to ignore the sadness. “I thought I was her favorite, and I rubbed that in my brothers’ faces. I made sure that they knew she loved me more than she’d ever love them, and I said the same to my dad. I said horrible things to them.” 

Serafina squeezed Macavity’s hand tightly. “You can always try, Mac.” 

And that was how Serafina fell for Macavity Deuteronomy. 

He was rough around the edges, obviously, but he was charming, handsome, and he made Serafina feel like the luckiest woman in the entire world. 

The only con, of course, was the fact that there were days where she wasn’t able to see Macavity at all, and he wouldn’t answer his phone. 

But Serafina could ignore all that for the sweet, wonderful moments she had with Macavity. 

The day that Serafina found out she was pregnant was a stressful one. 

Serafina had always imagined herself being a mother, but she and Macavity had never discussed children. They had only been dating a few months, so when Macavity came over, Serafina was terrified. 

“What’s wrong?” Macavity asked, and Serafina took a deep breath. 

“I’m pregnant.” She said quickly. 

Macavity’s eyes widened, and he stepped back slightly in surprise. “You’re pregnant? How far along are you?” 

“Only a few weeks.” Serafina told him. “I know we never talked about having kids, and we’ve only been together for a little while, but I’m keeping the baby no matter what.” 

“Sera, I’d never ask you to do that!” Macavity exclaimed, grabbing Serafina’s hands tightly. “I’m just surprised, that’s all!” ,p> Serafina relaxed slightly. “You’re not angry?” 

Macavity shook his head firmly. “No. Not at all.” 

###### 

Children

Hades was their first child. 

His was a fairly easy birth, and Serafina and Macavity had both been relatively calm when rushing to the hospital when she went into labor, both trying to talk and keep Serafina’s mind occupied as they waited for the doctor to come in. 

Once the doctor arrived, however, all sense of calm disappeared, and Serafina’s heart pounded as pain coursed through her. 

Her screams had terrified Macavity, and he simply grasped Serafina’s hand, allowing her to scream and squeeze his hand as tightly as she needed to. 

Hades was born five hours after Serafina went into labor. He was a perfect, beautiful baby boy, with Serafina’s black hair and Macavity’s amber eyes. 

Macavity had been right beside Serafina for the birth, and he had stared at his son in awe when the nurse handed him over, wrapped in the softest blue blanket. 

“Mac…” Serafina gasped, her cheeks damp with tears and sweat. 

“He’s okay, Sera.” Macavity said with a small smile, showing the small baby to the exhausted woman. “Look at him!” 

Serafina sighed happily, reaching out and touching Hades’ cheek lovingly. “Hi, baby boy. Mama and Daddy have been waiting for you.” 

A few weeks after Serafina gave birth, Macavity had to leave, telling her that he needed to go out of state for a quick job that would take about a week. Serafina had simply sighed and smiled, knowing Macavity’s job called him away occasionally. 

One year after Hades was born, Serafina gave birth to the triplets. 

Like Hades, the triplets had been an unexpected, but welcome surprise, and Macavity and Serafina were both elated to have more little ones. 

Thetis, Apollo, and Iris were born healthy, but Serafina struggled giving birth to all three, and her struggle resulted in a warning from the doctor against having any more children. 

It broke Serafina’s heart, obviously, but she knew that it was the best choice for her health. 

She still cried that night, however, holding her triplets close. Macavity had hugged her tightly, his heart breaking for the black-haired woman as Hades slept in his arms. 

Thetis had her mother’s black hair, as well as her blue eyes, while Iris had her father’s red hair and amber eyes. Apollo, like his older brother, was a mix of the two, with his father’s red hair and his mother’s blue eyes. Hades, while still being quite young, absolutely adored his baby siblings, and was elated to be a big brother to them. 

After leaving the hospital with the triplets, Serafina slowly began to get back into her routine. She returned to the dance studio with her four little ones in tow, much to the excitement of the children she worked with and her coworkers. 

Macavity returned to drawing and sketching, and would need to leave for days on end. Without him around, Serafina grew more worried and preoccupied with taking care of their four children. 

She wondered where he would disappear off to, and a few years later, she finally got her answer. 

It wasn’t the answer she had been hoping for. 

###### 

The Phone Call

Two years after the triplets were born, Serafina received a phone call out of the blue. 

“Hello?” she asked, answering the phone. 

_“Hi. Is this Serafina O’Reilly?”_ a woman questioned on the other end. 

Serafina balanced the phone between her cheek and shoulder as she walked around the small bedroom, placing each of the triplets down for their nap. “This is her. May I ask who’s calling?” 

The woman sighed. _“My name is Demeter Sullivan. Five months ago, I had a one-night stand with a man named Macavity, and I saw a picture of you and four children in his wallet."_ Serafina froze, her eyes slowly widening. 

“You’re lying.” She whispered. 

_“I’m truly sorry, but I’m not.”_ The woman, Demeter, said gently. _“And… I also saw a picture of two other children who looked around the ages of your kids. I don’t suppose to happen to have six children?”_

Serafina’s heart dropped into her stomach. “I do not.” 

_“Do you maybe want to meet for coffee tomorrow?”_ Demeter asked quietly. _“I completely understand if not, but I would really love to meet you.”_

“I think that’s a good idea.” Serafina agreed. “I work just down the street from a rather nice coffee shop. I can message you the name if you’d like?” 

And so, Serafina found herself sitting outside the coffee shop the next afternoon with a stroller parked beside her holding the sleeping triplets, and three-year-old Hades sitting in her lap. 

A woman, clearly pregnant, with blonde hair approached her table, and she gave Serafina a small, tired smile. 

“Hi, Serafina.” Demeter said. 

Serafina returned her smile. “Hello, Demeter. Please, sit. I know how hard it must be to stay on your feet for so long.” 

Demeter laughed slightly and sat, wincing slightly as she stretched out her legs. “I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through. Triplets must have been extremely difficult.” Serafina laughed quietly, looking at her sleeping babies. 

“They were, but they were absolutely worth it.” she replied. After a moment, she let out a sigh, rubbing a tired Hades’ back. “Are you positive about what you saw in Macavity’s wallet?” Demeter nodded sadly, pulling out her phone. 

“I took a picture of his wallet.” She said, unlocking the phone and flipping it around to show Serafina. 

The picture was clearly Macavity’s wallet, since one side held photos of Hades and the triplets, but the other photo was of two children Serafina had never seen before. A little girl Hades’ age, and a little boy the same age as the triplets, both with curly dark hair and caramel-colored skin. 

“How did you meet Mac?” Serafina asked in a choked voice, handing Demeter her phone back. 

The blonde woman frowned slightly, looking down. “We met at a bar. I’m not going to say that I’m proud of how we met, or what I did, but I am proud of this little one.” Demeter placed a hand on her stomach. 

“Boy or girl?” Serafina asked quietly. 

“A girl.” Demeter replied. “Four months until she’s due.” She saw Serafina flinch slightly, and she slowly reached out, taking her hand. “I’m so sorry, Serafina. I never meant to hurt you.” 

Serafina shook her head, squeezing Demeter’ hand. “Please, don’t blame yourself. You didn’t know.” She smiled slightly. “In fact, I should be thanking you. I don’t think Mac would ever tell me himself, so it means a lot that you contacted me.” 

“It took me a little while, which is why this was so out of the blue. I was trying to figure out who you were, and then I saw quite a few of Macavity’s art pieces about your studio, and I put the pieces together.” Demeter said as she pulled out a pen, writing something down on one of the napkins. “Please, take my number and my address. Contact me if you need anything at all.” 

“Thank you, Demeter.” Serafina said. 

When Macavity returned to the apartment a week later, he found Serafina’s things gone, as well as their children’s things. 

Sitting on the counter was a letter, and Macavity picked it up, reading it. 

__

_Dear Mac,_

_A woman called me a week ago. She said her name was Demeter, and that she was five months pregnant with your child._

_She also told me that the night she was with you, she found a picture of two other children in your wallet. Children who were not mine, but who were the same ages as Hades and the triplets._

_I don’t want to seem like a bitter woman, and I don’t want to place the blame on the two other women you’ve somehow gotten pregnant. I don’t want to hear excuses from you, and I don’t want to argue, so I’m leaving._

_I’m taking Hades and the triplets, and you won’t hear from us again._

_I’m sorry we had to end this way, Mac. I truly cared about you, but it doesn’t take a genius to realize that you’ve been growing distant lately. Maybe it’s because of the other woman you’ve been with, but I’m not prying anymore._

_I love you, Mac, but this is goodbye._

_\- Serafina_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING*********  
> DEATH IN CHILDBIRTH  
> READ WITH CAUTION IF THAT IS A SENSITIVE TOPIC FOR YOU

Serafina pulled into the neighborhood, looking around at the different houses.

“Mama, where we goin’?” Hades asked from his car seat. 

“We’re going to a friend’s house, baby.” Serafina replied with a small smile. 

She drove through the neighborhood until she came upon a cul-de-sac with four houses spaced around the circle of asphalt. Serafina glanced down at the napkin beside her to check the address, and she pulled into the driveway of a dark blue house. 

Hades kicked his legs in the back seat excitedly. “Mama?” 

Serafina took a deep breath and opened her door, stepping out of the car. “Can you walk, baby? Mama needs to push the triplets.” Hades nodded, and Serafina laughed slightly at his eagerness. 

After taking Hades out of his car seat and placing him on the driveway, Serafina carefully took out the stroller and put each of the triplets into it, making sure they were all securely fastened before walking up the path to the door. 

“Mama!! I wanna do it!” Hades said, tugging on Serafina’s hand as he tried to reach for the door. The black-haired woman smiled slightly, and allowed Hades to run forward, the little boy knocking furiously on the door. 

“Okay, baby, that’s enough!” Serafina laughed, pulling Hades back gently. “We don’t want to wake everybody in the neighborhood up!” 

After a few moments, the door opened up to reveal Demeter standing there, a warm smile on her face. 

“Hi, Serafina.” She said. 

Serafina picked Hades up, holding him tightly in her arms. “Hi… you said if I ever needed anything, I could come to you.” She glanced back at her car, then to her triplets. 

“Did you leave?” Demeter asked quietly, and Serafina nodded. “Come in, please.” Serafina followed Demeter into the house, hearing laughter coming from the living room. “I’m sorry, I must have written the wrong house number with my address. This is my brother-in-law’s house. My fiancé and I live right next door.” 

Serafina frowned slightly as Hades burrowed into her neck with a small whine. She rubbed his back soothingly. “Your fiancé?” 

Demeter nodded, a flicker of sadness in her eyes. “We dated for nearly the entirety of high school, but broke up just before college and remained friends. We got engaged a few months ago, and we’re getting married before the baby is born.” A soft smiile appeared on Demeter’s face. “The day after I met Macavity, he asked me out on a date, and I said yes. Best decision I’ve ever made.” 

“And he knows…” Serafina trailed off, and the blonde woman laughed slightly. 

“He does. I shouldn’t have been worried, though, since she’s his niece, anyhow.” Demeter replied. 

Serafina blinked. “I’m sorry?” 

Demeter’s eyes widened. “Oh my goodness, I should have told you! I meant to mention it when we first met.” She glanced back towards the living room with a small smile. “My fiancé is Munkustrap, Macavity’s younger brother.” 

“The one he hasn’t spoken to since he was fifteen?” Serafina asked. 

“Yes.” Demeter said sadly. “This is actually their youngest brother’s house. Munk and Tugger have been quite close since everything happened. Would… would you like to meet them? It’s just myself, Munk, Tugger and his husband, and their father.” Serafina hesitated, but Demeter gave her such a kind smile, that the black-haired woman found herself relaxing, and allowing for the blonde to lead her towards the living room. 

Seated on the couches inside the cozy room were four men. 

One was a black-haired man with amber eyes that immediately stood, approaching Demeter and giving her such a sweet and loving kiss that it made Serafina’s heart melt. 

“Munkustrap Deuteronomy.” The man said, holding out a hand to Serafina. “It’s nice to finally meet you.” 

“Serafina O’Reilly.” She replied, shaking his hand. He gave her a kind smile, and held out a hand to the other occupants. 

“My younger brother, Tugger, and his husband, Mistoffelees.” He said, and a man with dark blonde hair and the same amber eyes gave Serafina a charming grin, while the man with black, curly hair and blue eyes elbowed him before smiling softly at Serafina. “And this is my father, Kenneth Deuteronomy.” 

Serafina felt her worries melt away almost instantly when she met the kind brown eyes of the older man sitting beside Tugger. He gave her a look, as if he knew every single trouble she had ever been through, and Serafina found herself wanting nothing more than to rush at him and hug him tightly. 

“Nice to meet you all.” Serafina said after a moment, shifting Hades in her arms. 

“Welcome, my dear.” Deuteronomy said, patting the empty chair beside him. “Please, sit down.” 

Serafina approached the chair and sat, the movement making Hades look up, before immediately ducking his head. 

“It’s okay, baby. These are the friends Mama told you about.” Serafina said gently. Hades looked up once more, this time twisting around so he was facing the other adults. 

“My name is Hades!” he said proudly, and Demeter cooed softly. 

Tugger leaned forward, holding out a fist. “It’s nice to meet you, little guy!” Hades’ face lit up, and he hit Tugger’s fist excitedly, making the blonde man laugh. 

“And these are the triplets, Thetis, Apollo, and Iris.” Serafina added, a small smile appearing on her face at her son’s relaxed posture. 

“They’re adorable.” Mistoffelees said in a quiet voice. 

Deuteronomy reached out, placing a gentle hand on Serafina’s arm, and looking at her with sorrowful eyes. “My heart aches for you, my dear. You should not be left to take care of these wonderful children by yourself.” 

Serafina shrugged, trying to hold back tears. “I had a feeling something was happening with Macavity. I guess I didn’t want to believe that he’d…” She took a breath as her voice broke. “I’m just grateful that Demeter told me, otherwise I don’t know if I would have ever found out.” 

“You’re not alone in this, Serafina.” Munkustrap said firmly. “We want to help you.” 

“You’re part of our family now, Serafina.” Tugger added. 

Serafina stared at the two brothers. “What?” 

Demeter laughed slightly. “I told them I met you, and some of what happened, and they’ve decided that they’re going to adopt you as their new sister. So if you think you’re raising those four alone, or that you’re going to go live in a hotel, you’re sorely mistaken.” 

“Since Munk and Dem are expecting their baby in a few months and planning their wedding, Tugger and I were hoping that you’d want to move in here with us.” Mistoffelees said slowly, taking Tugger’s hand. We’ve got plenty of room, and we would absolutely love the company.” 

“You’re being serious.” Serafina realized after a moment, her arms dropping to her lap as Hades wriggled out of her grasp and onto the floor, walking over to Deuteronomy and looking at him with big, curious eyes. Deuteronomy chuckled and lifted Hades up, settling him into his lap, and Hades snuggled against the older man, yawning happily. “That… you have no idea how much that means.” 

Tugger stood and knelt in front of Serafina, taking her shaking hands in his. “I haven’t seen my brother in many years, Serafina, but I know that he’s an absolute idiot for hurting both you and Dem. We’re not letting you go through this alone.” 

Tears filled Serafina’s eyes, and Tugger pulled her into a tight hug, and she finally allowed herself to break down, clinging to the blonde man as her shoulders shook. 

###### Moving On

Moving in with Tugger and Mistoffelees was surprisingly easy. 

Aside from Hades and the triplets’ belongings, Serafina didn’t have many personal items, besides some items that she had brought from Galway when she had first moved after her mother’s death. 

Tugger and Mistoffelees were true to their word, and had three rooms for her to set up in, although she consistently told them both that she was perfectly happy having her four kids sleep in the same room as she did to save space. 

The two men waved away her concerns with warm smiles and chuckles, and Serafina had reluctantly allowed them to furnish two of the rooms with beds and other furniture, transforming them into cozy, personalized spaces that made Serafina tear up quite a bit when they were completed. 

Serafina surprised herself by how quickly she settled into her new life. 

She was even more surprised by how close she became with Tugger and Mistoffelees within the first week of her living with them. 

Mistoffelees and Tugger had met in high school, when Mistoffelees had been working at a coffee shop, and Tugger had walked in with Munkustrap after classes. Their relationship had started off rocky, with Mistoffelees thinking Tugger was an egomaniac, and Tugger thinking Mistoffelees was a stuck-up snob, but they slowly got to know each other and became close friends. After high school, Mistoffelees had gone off with Victoria to train to join the Paris Opera Ballet, but he snapped his Achilles tendon about a month into training, which forced him to return home. 

Tugger had been Mistoffelees’ biggest supporter when he had returned, and throughout the weeks of recovery and physical therapy, their friendship had transformed into a romantic relationship, and a year later, Tugger proposed. After getting married, Mistoffelees and Tugger had moved into Tugger’s childhood neighborhood, right next to his childhood home, and only a few months later, Munkustrap and Deuteronomy had moved back into the familiar home. 

One evening, about a week after Serafina had moved in with the Deuteronomy-Jones couple, she finally looked at Tugger, and asked the question that had been on her mind since she had met Macavity. 

“What exactly happened between you all?” 

Tugger sighed, sitting back against the couch. “I was ten when everything happened. Mac was my best friend, my idol. We were extremely close, and Straps was really close to Dad and Grizabella.” Mistoffelees took his husband’s hand comfortingly, and Tugger gave him a brief smile. “I still don’t know why she left. Neither does Dad, and neither does Straps. All I know is that she wanted to be a big star. I don’t even know why she chose Mac to take with her. But the night before Grizabella left, Mac went on and on about how he was her favorite, and how she never gave a shit about Straps or me or Dad, and how Straps and I would never amount to anything.” 

“Jesus.” Serafina whispered, her eyes wide. 

“Yup.” Tugger said. “I remember running to my room in tears and slamming my door, and Straps walked into my room and he just sat next to me. Our relationship started getting a lot better after that, because it was just the two of us and Dad.” Serafina shook her head in disbelief. “I’m so sorry that happened to you three. 

Tugger’s smile grew. “If anything, what happened was a blessing. I got closer to my brother and dad, I was able to meet Misto because of my tragic sob story, and I’ve got a pretty sweet life that makes up for all that crap.” He looked at Mistoffelees, and pulled his husband close. “Thanks to them, I’ve got everything I could ever need.” 

Serafina had simply returned Tugger’s smile, and the three sat together for the rest of the night, talking and laughing about lighter topics. 

###### Open at the Close

Serafina didn’t want to believe it when she looked at the results before her. 

She hadn’t thought anything of her missed period, or the exhaustion she felt, thinking it was all of the stress and the emotional toll of leaving Macavity and starting a new life, but then she realized that she was getting horribly ill in the mornings, and she was beginning to have a hard time moving around, which were two of the main signs of her pregnancy with Hades and the triplets. 

So, Serafina had gone to the doctor, not wanting to take any chances. The news that she was pregnant was an extreme shock, coming around two months after Serafina had left Macavity. After receiving the news, Serafina had sat in her car and cried. 

She wasn’t angry about her pregnancy, not at all. 

She was simply terrified, and felt alone for the first time in weeks. 

Part of her was hopeful that the pregnancy and birth would go well, but the other part was processing the worst possibly scenario. 

After returning from her appointment, Serafina had entered the house to see Tugger laying on the ground on his stomach, Hades laying on his back, and the triplets giggling and playing with each other around him. Mistoffelees was sitting on the ground, Thetis in his lap as he read quietly to her, and Serafina had an idea. 

“I need to ask you two a question.” She said, making both men look at her. 

“What’s up?” Mistoffelees asked, cocking his head. 

Serafina sat down in the armchair. “I’m pregnant. Two months along, according to the doctor. When I gave birth to the triplets, the doctor told me that I needed to be careful and try not to get pregnant again, as the next time I gave birth, something could happen to me.” Tugger carefully moved Hades off of him and sat up, worry in his eyes. 

“So… what does this mean?” he asked gently. 

“I know this might be a lot to ask, and you can always decline, but…” Serafina trailed off, but took a deep breath, looking intently at Tugger and Mistoffelees. “If something happens to me, will you two take on full custody of Hades, the triplets, and the baby? And possibly adopt them?” 

Mistoffelees straightened. “In a worst-case scenario?” 

Serafina nodded. 

Tugger shared a look with Mistoffelees before glancing back at Serafina. “If you think that’s what’s best for you and for the kids, then we’d be honored to.” 

Grateful tears filled Serafina’s eyes, and Mistoffelees and Tugger both hugged her tightly, reassuring her that she was not alone, and neither were her children. 

The day she went into labor, Serafina knew that something was wrong. 

She wasn’t sure how she could tell, but she knew. 

So before she left for the hospital, Serafina had hugged Hades and the triplets tightly, trying not to cry as she kissed their cheeks for what she knew would be the last time. 

As Tugger frantically drove her to the hospital, Serafina pulled out her phone in between contractions to message the lawyer she had hired to assist with the custody and adoption of her children, informing her to stand by with the necessary papers for Tugger and Mistoffelees. 

Serafina had been rushed into a room, Tugger beside her with Mistoffelees running in at the last minute. Both men held her hands tightly as she began to push, screaming and sobbing as she felt pain rip through her body. 

“It’s a girl!” The doctor cried, and Serafina sighed, a smile on her face. Even with the sharp pain in her stomach, hearing her baby’s cries made everything disappear. 

Mistoffelees was handed the small baby in a pink blanket, and he showed her to Serafina with a warm smile. “Look, Sera.” Serafina slowly reached up, touching her baby’s cheek. “Hi, angel.” 

Tugger quickly reached into his pocket, pulling out his cell phone and taking a picture of Serafina kissing her daughter’s forehead, smiling slightly at the image. 

Suddenly, the monitors that Serafina was hooked up to began to beep and go off, and Serafina tensed, flinching violently. 

“She’s bleeding!” a nurse cried as another tremor shot through Serafina. She breathed sharply, clinging to Tugger’s hand. 

“Sera?” the blonde man asked slowly. 

“Hestia. That’s what I want her name to be.” Serafina gasped out as the doctors and nurses all scrambled about, trying to stop the bleeding. “The lawyer is on her way with all the papers.” 

Tugger’s eyes were shimmering with tears, and he kissed Serafina’s forehead gently. “Okay.” 

Serafina smiled softly. “Take care of my babies, you two. They’re counting on you. Be the dads they never had.” 

Serafina’s eyes slowly slid closed as exhaustion overtook her, and she let out a soft breath. 

Her babies were safe, and they had a family to take care of them. 

Serafina was at peace, and that’s all she cared about. 

She could let go. 

So she did. 

Tugger and Mistoffelees returned home the next day with heavy hearts, a newborn baby girl, and to four toddlers asking where their mama was. 

They weren’t sure how they were going to be fathers, or how their lives were going to work, but all they knew was that their new children were going to grow up loved, and with dads who would do anything for them. 

And they did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jubilee's story is coming next!
> 
> for updates on this series, go to my Tumblr, @uppastthejelliclemoon!

**Author's Note:**

> a huge, MASSIVE thank-you to DC_JellicleQueen33, KineticJellyfish, and @queencurlycrown on Tumblr for being the literal BEST and for being the main reasons that this story and this AU exist!
> 
> Their OCs will be coming in soon, I promise!


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